Nucleic acid-based molecules, such as DNA, RNA, and PNA (peptide nucleic acids), have continued to find ever-increasing levels of implementation and exciting applications in biology and biomedical systems, whether for gene knockout, as aptamers, for drug delivery and targeting, in biodetection, and in many other areas. While these molecules and approaches are highly valuable in numerous arenas, they are limited in one capacity or another by the chemistry used to assemble these structures. DNA and RNA are enzymatically cleavable, expensive, potentially immunogenic and with limited chemical versatility. In contrast, PNAs are difficult to form, using inefficient chemistries that require large stoichiometric excesses and limit yields, particularly of high molecular weight compounds. Further, they are also enzymatically cleavable though they do have a much greater level of structural variability that is possible. Thus, it would beneficial to have additional reagents that can be made en mass in a cost effective manner. This disclosure meets those needs.